The Reece Museum, in partnership with Crafting Blackness: 100 Years Black Craft History of Tennessee Project, invites you to join us for Aundra McCoy’s paper doll-making workshop on Friday, October 6, from 2 - 4pm. Please bring an image of a beloved ancestor to serve as the muse for your spirit doll. McCoy will guide you through the art of assemblage, expanding conceptions of what can function as art material—buttons, shells, earrings, lace, beads, feathers, love notes, newspaper and more. Re-imagine these everyday materials as thoughtful building blocks for your own unique doll that pays homage to the ones that came before us.

Register here for an in-person seat or Zoom link: https://www.etsu.edu/cas/cass/reece/events.php (Suggested donation of $20 to support the Sammie L. Nicely Collection)

Aundra McCoy learned to make dolls and doll clothing as a child. Today, her dolls incorporate both traditional techniques and innovative styles, reflecting her African and Indigenous heritage. Her artistry is sold nationally, and McCoy was owner both of Harbortown Wearable Arts and Wonderful Things, gallery shops that were among the first to sell the work of Black artists in Washington, DC. McCoy was raised in the historic community of Orange Mound, a subdivision of Memphis, TN, founded in 1890 for African Americans. In 2021, McCoy was awarded the title of Master Artist by the Tennessee Arts Commission during an initiative to preserve traditions that are rare or endangered in Tennessee. McCoy says, “Over the last forty years I have taught topics including dollmaking, sewing, beading, mixed media quilting, floor installations, and wearable art. I like to encourage my students to dig deep and express their inner memorabilia. Once they salvage these memories, they become transformed to serve their family and community in understanding the art form. By doing this their personal works become rescued memories that serve as cultural symbols and personal records for future generations.”

This workshop is supported by a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation’s American Art Program.